Halloween

Another year, another Halloween, one of the great silly social holidays of the calendar year (up there with St. Patrick's Day, Valentine's Day and New Years). Perhaps not surprisingly this is an almost entirely American holiday (the British and Australian teachers all throw their hands up and claim not to have celebrated it back home). Understandably, it has been very slow to take hold here in China - red and orange rarely look good together.

Many of our students are curious about the holiday. We've gotten every sort of question ranging from trick-or-treating to costume choices to jack-0-lanterns. Only one subject seems not to interest the students, more out of genuine fright on the behalf of many, and that is the subject of ghost stories. More of our students than I would have guessed believe in ghosts, so stories about spirits make them especially scared.

If you're wondering, I'll be going tonight as a 'local Chinese person'. I have a pair of thick black glasses, with the lenses popped out, a tight 'I [heart] China' T-shirt and a pair of black high-top Converse All-Stars. I'm expecting it to be a hit, and yes, that's pretty standard Shanghainese wear. Happy Halloween!